Tools for Mobility in a World Beyond Oil


	Efficiency of Transportation Alternatives

Many forms of transit are much less efficient than commonly believed. Rail and bus transit systems make many stops, requiring re-acceleration of massive vehicles which weigh at least 10X more than the passengers. (A bicycle, by contrast, is a small fraction of the cyclist's weight).
This applies as well to the electric vehicle. Even though its motor is much more efficient than the internal combustion engine, it still weighs as much as (and potentially more than) a fueled vehicle. (The GM EV1 was an exception, of course, being an extremely aerodynamic vehicle.)
Combining fuel-to-wheel efficiency (10%-20%) and passenger:vehicle weight ratio (1:10), an automobile, train or bus is likely to be on the order of 10%-20% (fuel-wheel) ÷ 10 (weight) = 1%-2% efficient. And this is the state of the art in the 21st century?!
Move less mass!^™

Mode Load (#pass) BTU's /pass-mile Watt-hrs /pass-mile FTE^* Gas mpg Diesel mpg km/liter

Solar Race Cars 1 102 30 2.8 1119 1359 577

Podcars 1.57 433 127 12 264 321 136

GM EV1 1 563 165 16 200 247 86

Vanpool 6.1 1,322 389 36.6 86.6 105.1 44.7

Motorcycles 1.20 1,855 546 51.3 61.7 74.9 31.8

Rail, Amtrak 20.50 2,650 780 73.3 43.2 52.5 22.3

Rail, Transit (light & heavy) 22.50 2,784 819 77 41 50 21

Rail, Commuter 31.30 2,996 881 83 38 46 20

Air, domestic 96.20 3,261 959 90 35 43 18

Cars 1.57 3,512 1033 97 33 40 17

Personal trucks 1.72 3,944 1160 109 29 35 15

Bus, Transit 8.80 4,235 1246 117 27 33 14

Demand response (Taxi) 1.0 14,301 4207 396 8 10 4

^* FTE is Freight Train Equivalent. Long-haul freight and sea borne shipping set a "gold standard" of about 436 ton-miles per gallon of diesel.
Sources: Calculations of fuel efficiencies, DOE Energy Use, jPods

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Mode	Load (#pass)	BTU's /pass-mile	Watt-hrs /pass-mile	FTE^*	Gas mpg	Diesel mpg	km/liter
Many forms of transit are much less efficient than commonly believed. Rail and bus transit systems make many stops, requiring re-acceleration of massive vehicles which weigh at least 10X more than the passengers. (A bicycle, by contrast, is a small fraction of the cyclist's weight). This applies as well to the electric vehicle. Even though its motor is much more efficient than the internal combustion engine, it still weighs as much as (and potentially more than) a fueled vehicle. (The GM EV1 was an exception, of course, being an extremely aerodynamic vehicle.) Combining fuel-to-wheel efficiency (10%-20%) and passenger:vehicle weight ratio (1:10), an automobile, train or bus is likely to be on the order of 10%-20% (fuel-wheel) ÷ 10 (weight) = 1%-2% efficient. And this is the state of the art in the 21st century?! Move less mass!^™

Solar Race Cars	1	102	30	2.8	1119	1359	577
Podcars	1.57	433	127	12	264	321	136
GM EV1	1	563	165	16	200	247	86
Vanpool	6.1	1,322	389	36.6	86.6	105.1	44.7
Motorcycles	1.20	1,855	546	51.3	61.7	74.9	31.8
Rail, Amtrak	20.50	2,650	780	73.3	43.2	52.5	22.3
Rail, Transit (light & heavy)	22.50	2,784	819	77	41	50	21
Rail, Commuter	31.30	2,996	881	83	38	46	20
Air, domestic	96.20	3,261	959	90	35	43	18
Cars	1.57	3,512	1033	97	33	40	17
Personal trucks	1.72	3,944	1160	109	29	35	15
Bus, Transit	8.80	4,235	1246	117	27	33	14
Demand response (Taxi)	1.0	14,301	4207	396	8	10	4

^ FTE is Freight Train Equivalent. Long-haul freight and sea borne shipping set a "gold standard" of about 436 ton-miles per gallon of diesel.* Sources: Calculations of fuel efficiencies, DOE Energy Use, jPods